A Dominican soldier assigned to the third batallion of the US Marines died during combat operations against enemy forces in northeast Baghdad, El Caribe newspaper reported.
The Dominican communities in New York City and Santiago de los Caballeros were especially saddened by the loss. Sgt. Riayan Tejeda, 26, leaves two daughters, ages 4 and 7.
According to the report in El Caribe, Tejeda had maintained his Dominican citizenship despite having served in the United States Marine Corps for eight years, ever since his high school graduation.
?Today is a day the US should appreciate what the Dominican Republic does for them,? said his father before the altar at the entrance to the Washington Heights apartment at 603 West 180 Street, near the corner of St. Nicholas, where the family lives.
?Eight years in the military, and they never made him a citizen,? he complained. ?I wouldn?t be surprised if President Bush now grants him citizenship after his death. But it?s too late – a piece of paper is not going to bring my son back.? The young Tejeda migrated to New York at the age of seven with his family. According to the El Caribe report, Tejeda had visited his mother in Washington Heights in December, and had traveled to his native Santiago, where he spent 15 days over the Christmas holidays. Tejeda is one of 145 men and women of the allied forces coalition that have died or are missing in the war.